COMPOSITION DE DECAPAGE

PAINT STRIPPING COMPOSITION

Abrégé français

Compositions peu coûteuses pour le décapage de peinture, ne renfermant ni solvants chlorés ni solvants alcalins, et bien adaptées pour enlever des peintures de type glycérophtalique, alkyde-uréthane ou aryle-uréthane sur divers substrats, comme le bois et les métaux. Ces compositions renferment : a) de 1 à 99 % en volume d'un solvant polaire aprotique, choisi dans le groupe comprenant du diméthylsulfoxyde, du diméthylformamide, de la N-méthylpyrrolidone, de la N-méthylmorpholine, de la gamma-butyrolactone, de l'acétonitrile et de mélanges de ces composés; b) 1 à 99 % en volume d'un éther-oxyde choisi dans la famille des éthers possédant un point d'éclair supérieur à 0 °C, un volume molaire inférieur à 160 et un ou plusieurs groupes méthoxy.

Abrégé anglais

Inexpensive paint stripper compositions containing
neither chlorinated nor alkaline solvents and well adapted for
removing paints such as glycerophthalic, alkyd-urethane or
arylic urethane paints on a variety of substrates, e.g. wood
and metal substrates comprise (a) 1 to 99% by volume of an
aprotic polar solvent chosen from the group comprising:
dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethyl formamide, N-methylpyrrolidone,
N-methylmorpholine, .gamma.-butyrolactone, acetonitrile and mixtures
thereof; and (b) 99 to 1% by volume of an ether selected from
the family of ethers having a flash point higher than 0°C, a
molar volume less than 160 and a molecule that includes one
or several methoxy groups.

Revendications

The embodiments of the invention in which an
exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as
follows:
1. A paint stripping composition comprising, by
volume:
(a) 1 to 99% of an aprotic polar solvent chosen
from the group comprising: dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO),
dimethyl-formamide (DMF), N-methyl-pyrrolidone (NMP), N-
methyl-morpholine (NMm), .gamma.-butyrolactone (BLo), acetonitrile
(AcN) and mixtures thereof; and
(b) 99 to 1% of an ether selected from the family
of ethers having:
- a flash point higher than 0°C,
- a molar volume less than 160,
- a molecule having one or several methoxy groups,
- a molecule devoid of hydroxy groups.
2. The paint stripping composition according to
claim 1, in which said aprotic polar solvent is dimethyl
sulfoxide.
3. The paint stripping composition according to
claim 1, in which said aprotic polar solvent and said ether
are present in amounts of, respectively, 1 to 20% and 99 to
80% by volume.
4. The paint stripping composition according to
claim 1, in which said aprotic polar solvent and said ether
are present in respective amounts of 5 to 15% and 95 to 85%
by volume.
5. The paint stripping composition according to
claim 1, in which the volume ratio of the components is about
10/90.

6. The paint stripping composition according to
claim 1, in which said aprotic polar solvent and said ether
are present in amounts of, respectively, 20 to 80% and 80 to
20% by volume.
7. The paint stripping composition according to
claim 6, in which said aprotic polar solvent and said ether
are present in amounts of, respectively, 40 to 60% and 60 to
40% by volume.
8. The paint stripping composition according to
claim 7, in which the volume ratio of said components is about
50/50.
9. The paint stripping composition according to
claim 1, in which said ether is chosen from the group
comprising: anisole, 1,2-dimethoxybenzene, 1,3-dimethoxy-
benzene, 1,4-dimethoxybenzene, 1,2,3-trimethoxybenzene, 2-
methoxy-1,3-dioxolane, 2-methoxy-3,4-dihydropyrane, 2,5-
dimethoxytetrahydrofurane, ethylene glycol dimethyl ether,
diethylene glycol dimethyl ether, 1-ter-butoxy-2-methoxy-
ethane.
10. The paint stripping composition according to
claim 1, wherein it includes additives, including: a co-
solvent, an activator, a fire-proofing agent, a thickener, a
stabilizer, a surfactant, an evaporation inhibitor and, in
general, any additive provided that said additive is not a
chlorine-containing solvent.
11. The paint stripping composition according to
claim 1, further including a fluorinated surfactant comprising
the compound of formula:
C6F13(OCH2CH2)nH, with n = 10.

12. A paint stripping composition according to claim
1, for the stripping of acrylic-polyurethane or
polyester-polyurethane paint on a metal substrate.
13. A paint stripping composition according to claim
1, for stripping glycerophthalic or alkyd urethane paint on a
wood substrate.
14. A process for preparing compositions according to
any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising mixing of the various
components thereof using a stirrer or any appropriate
equipment.
15. A process for the removal of the paint surface
layer from a substrate coated therewith comprising
contacting such surface layer with an effective stripping amount of
the composition as defined by claim 1.
16. The process for the removal of a paint surface
layer according to claim 15, wherein said paint is a paint
employed in the building field and the said substrate is a
metallic substrate consisting of aluminium, or is a wooden
substrate.
17. The paint stripping process according to claim
15, wherein the so-produced contact is maintained until the
paint swells, forms bubbles and becomes detached.

11
18. The paint stripping process according to claim
15, wherein the so-produced contact between said surface layer
and said composition is achieved by immersion, spraying,
soaking, by brush application or the like.
19. The paint stripping process according to claim
15, wherein said contacting is carried out at a temperature
comprised between 5 and 40°C for a time comprised between 15
and 45 minutes.
20. The process according to claim 19, wherein said
temperature is ambient temperature.

Description

'- 2097488
PAINT STRIPPING COMPOSITION
R~KGROUND OF THE lNV~ ON
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel paint stripping
composition and, more especially, to a novel paint stripping
composition cont~i ni ng neither chlorinated nor alkaline
solvents. It also relates to the process for removing paint
from a substrate, using this composition.
Description of the Prior Art
10U.S. Patent No. 3,600,322 describes the use of mixtures
of methylene chloride and methanol for stripping paint,
varnish or lacquers. Paint stripping compositions containing
lactams or lactones, particularly N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone or
butyrolactone, in admixture with other active compounds, for
example alkylene glycol ethers, are also known to this art.
Compare in this respect WO 86/03,766 and WO 88/06,640 and
U.S. Patents Nos. 5,011,121 and 5,015,410.
U.S. Patent No. 2,694,658 describes the use of DMSO as a
solvent for paint stripping applications.
20Nonetheless, all of the above solvents present the
disadvantages of being~expensive and of being present in the
compositions in considerable amounts. Thus, a serious need
exists in the surface coating removal industry for stripping
formulations that are as effective as those of the prior art,
but which are significantly less expensive.
SUMMARY OF THE lNv~..~lON
Accordingly, a major object of the present invention is
the provision of improved paint stripping compositions which
avoid or conspicuously ameliorate the above disadvantages and
drawbacks to d~te characterising the state of thi- art.

2 2097 488
Briefly, the present invention features a novel
paint stripping composition comprising, by volume:
(a) 1 to 99~ of an aprotic polar solvent chosen
from the group comprising: dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO),
dimethyl-formamide (DMF), N-methyl-pyrrolidone (NMP), N-
methyl-morpholine (NMm), r-butyrolactone (BLo), acetonitrile
(AcN) and mixtures thereof; and
(b) 99 to 1% of an ether selected from the family
of ethers having:
- a flash point higher than 0C,
- a molar volume less than 160,
- a molecule having one or several methoxy groups,
- a molecule devoid of hydroxy groups.
The expression molar volume as used herein should
be taken to mean the ratio between molar mass and density.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE
INVENTION
More particularly according to the present
invention, in a preferred embodiment thereof the aprotic polar
solvent of said paint stripping composition is dimethyl
sulfoxide.
In one preferred embodiment, the aprotic polar
solvent and ether are present in amounts of, respectively, 1
to 20% and 99 to 80% by volume, and more preferably in
respective amounts of 5 to 15% and 95 to 85% by volume. A
volume ratio of the components of about 10/90 is particularly
preferred.-
In another preferred embodiment, the aprotic polar
solvent and the ether are present in amounts of, respectively,
20 to 80% and 80 to 20% by volume. In this embodiment, the
aprotic polar solvent and the ether are particularly
advantageously present in amounts of, respectively, 40 to 60%
and 60 to 40~ by volume, a volume ratio of 50/50 being
specially preferred.

2097488
In one preferred embodiment of the paint stripping
composition the ether is chosen from the group comprising:
anisole, 1,2-dimethoxybenzene, 1,3-dimethoxybenzene, 1,4-
dimethoxybenzene, 1,2,3-trimethoxybenzene, 2-methoxy-1,3-
dioxolane, 2-methoxy-3,4-dihydropyrane, 2,5-dimethoxytetra-
hydrofurane, ethylene glycol dimethyl ether, diethylene glycol
dimethyl ether, 1-ter-butoxy-2-methoxyethane. The preferred
lo aprotic polar solvent is dimethyl sulfoxide.
The composition may include a surfactant, which is
advantageously a halogenated surfactant. Any known anionic,
cationic or amphoteric surfactant isappropriate, a fluorinated
surfactant, in other words one which includes one or several
fluorine atoms being preferred, and a surfactant comprising
the compound of formula:
C6F13(0CH2CH2)nH, with n = 10
being particularly preferred. Such a compound is for example
available commercially under the registered trademark
Forafac~ 1110.
The invention also provides a paint stripping
composition for the stripping of acrylic-polyurethane or
polyester-polyurethane paint on a metal substrate.
Additionally, the invention provides a paint
stripping composition for stripping glycerophthalic or alkyd
urethane paint on a wood substrate.
The paint stripping composition according to the
invention may also include additives; such additives including
one or more of: a co-solvent, an activator, a fire-proofing
agent, a thickener, a stabilizer, a surfactant, an evaporation
inhibitor and, in general, any additive provided that said
additive is not a chlorine-cont~;n;ng solvent. In particular,
addition of fats of animal or vegetable origin, for example
certain esterified cuts, enables the flammability of the
mixture to be reduced.
Cellulosic derivatives such as methyl cellulose or
aerosils (such as pyrogenous silica) can be added to thicken
the mixture of solvents.

4 2097488
Addition of a surfactant enables stripping to be
speeded up. Similarly, stripping is speeded up by the
addition of an appropriate amount of methanol.
Preferably, the composition of this invention can
be prepared by simply mixing the various constituents, using
a stirrer or any suitable equipment.
The invention also features a process for removing
paints and coating from substrates by contacting such paints
or coatings with the compositions described above.
Preferably, the paints are those typically used in the
construction industry and the substrate is metal such as
aluminum, or is wood.
Preferably, such contacting is continued until the
paint swells, forms blisters and becomes detached. The
substrates or surface to be stripped can be contacted with a
composition according to the present invention in a variety
of ways. Exemplary thereof are immersion, squirting, soaking
using a paint brush, etc. The contacting is preferably,
carried out at a temperature ranging from 5O to 40C;
advantageously the ambient temperature is generally comprised
between 5 and 25C. The contact time may typically range
from 15 to 45 minutes.
In order to further illustrate the present invention
and the advantages thereof, the following specific examples
are given, it being understood that same are intended only as
illustrative and in nowise limitative.
EXAMPLES:
Techn;que em~loye~:
The substrates coated with paint were immersed in
30 ml of stripping composition according to the invention at
.
-i~

2097488
ambient temperature (20) for at least 30 minutes.
Performance was estimated by inspecting the effects obtained.
(A) Glycerophthalic paint + undercoat/wood :
This was a mature paint which, hence, was perfectly
cross linked. When that which is herein defined as a "low-
performance (o) solvent composition" was used, the glycero-
phthalic paint (brilliant layer) remained intact or, at most,
when inspected by binoculars (magnification G = 7x) several
small bubbles spread over the surface could be detected. A
"high-performance solvent composition (*)" produced a surface
replete with large scales. The substrate was then rinsed with
a water jet (mechanical action) in order to eliminate the
scales which were not adhered thereto. The surface was then
inspected using binoculars (G = 7x). When using a "very
lS high-performance solvent combination (**)", it was found that
the undercoat layer was partially detached over the entirety
of the surface.
(B) Alkyd-urethane paint/wood :
As above, this was also a well matured paint and hence
perfectly cross linked. A low-perfo- ~nce solvent composition
produced no observable effect at the surface and the paint
retained its brilliant finish. For a high-performance solvent
composition (*), the surface was covered with scales, but
these could not be detached even after intensive washing with
water. Contrariwise, after immersion in a very high-per-
formance solvent composition (**) it was observed that a
simple water jet permitted essentially all of the scales
formed to be removed.
(C) Acrylic-polyurethane/aluminium paint :
Using a low-performance solvent composition, only a
beginning of stripping was observed, around the edges of a
board. After one hour, there was no improvement in stripping.
A very high-performance solvent composition (**) provided
detachment of the entire film in less than 15 minutes. Using
only a high-performance composition (*), several extra

- - 6 2097488
-
minutes of immersion were required in order to elicit the
same effect. In this case, the film was always detached in
less than 30 minutes. Whether using high-performance or very
high-performance compositions, an elongation of the film by
several millimeters was always observed (relative elongation
< 30%)-
(D) Epoxy/aluminium paint :
After immersion for 1 hour, a softening of this very
resistant paint was observed using high-performance compo-
sitions (*). Simple scraping was then sufficient to remove itwith relative ease. A very high-performance solvent stripping
composition (**) based on formic acid, via its mechanism or
chemical action, did completely remove the epoxy layer
without any scraping being required.
Results of tests
Eleven ethers were tested singly and in combination with
DMSO and NMD, in a volume ratio of about 10/90.
Below, the results obtained for the eleven ethers alone
or in composition form according to the present invention are
given and compared with the action of a composition contain-
ing methyl-tertio-butyl-ether, representative of the prior
art.
These were the effects observed for the four types of
paints associated with their supports for the cases listed A
to D:
- when the ethers were employed alone, practically no
stripping action was observed;
- when the ethers were associated with 10~ DMS0 or 10
NMP, it was noticed that a swelling and detachment of the
paint film was obtained over at least 30% of the surface
thereof, thus providing effective stripping.
The results obtained using the combinations of paints
and supports listed above under A to D in given in the table
below:

- 20g7~88
90X E + 90X E + 50X E +
Ether (E) 100X E lOX DMS0 lOX NMP50X DMS0
anlso~e 0 ** ** **
(a) (b)
1,2-dlmethoxybenzene 0 ** ** --
1,3-dlm-thoxyb-nzene 0 ** ** --
1,4-dlmethoxybenzene 0 ** ** --
1,2,3-trlmethoxybenz-ne 0 ** ** --
2-methoxy-1,3-dioxo~ane 0 ** ** --
2-methoxy-3,4-dihydropyron- 0 ** ** --
2,6-dlmethoxytetrahydrofurane 0 ** ** --
ethy~eneg~yco~ dimethy~ether 0 ** ** --
dlethy~eneg~yco~ dlmethy~ether 0 ** ** --
1-tert butoxy-2-methoxyethane 0 ** ** --
methy~ tertlobuty~ether 0 * to ** -- --
(a) tests carried out on glycerophthalic and alkyd-urethane
paints
(b) a slight imp~ov~ ~nt was noted with respect to the 90%
E/10% DMS0 mixture.
test not implemented
The ethers employed in the invention are less flammable
than those employed to date for this purpose.
Use of the compositions according to the invention
enables the best performance, as regards effectiveness of
stripping and absence of flammability, to be achieved at
least cost.